Screen



C. J. ROTHERMEL.

SCREEN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, I918.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

2 SHEETS-$HEET1.

XT M

C. J- ROTHERMEL- SCREEN.

APPLICATlON FILED MAR. I2. 1918. 1,314,219. Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- mg. 5 FMVW Fig: 6' 2 L 11 r1 r Fig; 7 i-Mm Fig. 8 1 10 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CURTIS J'. ROTHERMEL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PKRiRETT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

SCREEN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

in shades for porches, windows, etc., by

which such shades are made ina rapid manner and at small cost.

-One of the objects of the invention is to produce a shade which shall be pleasing in appearance, cheap to manufacture, and which shall possess good wearing qualities.

Another object of the invention is the production of shades which shall be flexible in both a horizontal and a vertical direction. This is accomplished by making the slats of fleXi'ble material and hinging them together.

The invention will be readily understood from the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a view of the shade;

Fig. 2 is a view showing a modified way of assembling the slats;

Fig. 3 is a view showing a third way of assembling the slats;

Fig. 3* is a view showing the reverse side of three of the slats shown in Fig. 3;."

Fig. 4 is a view showing a fourth way of assembling the slats;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are views of different sorts of slats used in makin the shade; and

Fi 9 is a view showingfiiow the ends of the s ats may be reinforced and protected.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a slat which is made of flexible material. It has been found that congoleum and linoleum are very suitable and cheap materials which possess the desired characteristics, and can be easily out into strips for the purpose of making the shades. In fact, as congoleum rugs are ordinarily manufactured they are made slightly larger than the standard sizes and the edges and sides are trimmed off leaving narrow strips which have been hitherto discarded as worthless. By this invention this waste material can be utilized, or, the entire roll of congoleum can be cut into strips of the proper size to be used for making the shades.

Congoleum is a composition consisting of a felt base to give strength. saturated with middle.

waterproofing material, and covered with material which permits it to bend without cracking and at the same time increases, its Wearing qualities. 1

The slats 1 are held together after being assembled by running cords or wires 2, as shown in Fig. 1, from one end to the other of the shade, such cords or wires passing downwardly in front of alternate slats and behind the others, and returning on the opposite sides res ectively in an upward direction. It will tlius be seen that the cords or wires 2 are continuous and cross from the front side of one slat tothe back side of the next adjacent one where their edges are juxtaposed. Notches 3 may be formed" at the edges of the slats where the cords or wires pass to the back, if desired, as shown in Fig. 2. These notches may be semi-circular 1n shape as shown near the ends of the slats or may be tria ular as shownnear the The partlcular shape of the notches is immaterial as other suitable shapes may be used, and such number of cords or wires 2 may be employed as are found necessary. The cords 2 may also be fastened to the slats 1 by means of fasteners 3'.

Instead of fastening the slats as above described, they may be fastened by running a cord or wire 4, as shown in Fig. 3, downwardly on one side of all the slats which are provided with holes 5. The u per end of the cord or wire passes throng the hole 5 in the top slat from back to front and then passes around the vertical straight portion ofthe cord, back through the hole 5 and downwardly, as shown in dotted lines, to the lower edge of the top slat where it again passes, in the space between the first and second slats, around the vertical straight portion of the cord which is on the from.

side, from whence it passes downwardly. behind the upper half of the second slat slats, and so on to the lowest slat, as shown.

Another way of fastening the slats is shown in Fig. 4 in which the slats are held together by means of a thread or cord 6 which may be sewed in a sinuous line from one slat to another.

It, will thus be seen that the slats constituting a shade 'may' be suspended in any convenient place, and the slats are so fristened togetherthat they will hinge on each other thus enabling them to be rolled up. Since the slats are made of flexible material, the shade canv be bent and fitted into places where the usual shade would not go, and the shade is -;practically free from fracture by blows-or pressures I Ordinarily the slats, are far enough apart to permit'air'to pass'through without, at the same time, permitting an objectionable amount of sunlight to pass through. In case it is desired to have additional air passages, one or both of the slats may bein Fig. 7 or a series of holes 10 may be provided as shown in Fig.8. The number and shape ofthese holes and notches may be varied at will, and both may obviously be provided in the same slats.

Fig. 9 shows a way of protecting the end of a slatby means of a thin piece of metal 11, whose edges 12 are bent over the end and somewhat satisfactory results.

If desired, the lowest slat may be made of wood or metal to give rigidityv and to hold the screen in shape, and a strengthening strip may also be placed at the top.

What I claim is: i

1. As an article of manufacture, a shade consisting of strips made of flexible material, said strips having notches along' the edges thereof, whereby air may readily pass through said shade.

2. As an article of manufacture, a shade made of strips of congoleum.

3. As an article of manufacture, a shade made of stri s of congoleum having air pas sages theret rough.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si nature.

' CURTIS J. ROTHER EL. 

